At the British Museum

October 28, 2013

Last week I spent a few hours in London, hanging out with my friend Kristian and we decided it would be a good idea to stop by the British Museum. Finally, after my previous failed attempt a couple of months ago. The original plan was to see the Shunga exhibition but by the time we got there it was sold out for the day. We didn’t realize there would be so many perverts in London! (Shunga is traditional Japanese erotic art, in case you are wondering).

As we weren’t allowed to see the dirty stuff we just wandered around some parts of the museum (mainly the Greek antiquity) and of course I took some photos. We didn’t get to see all that much as we had already spent a few hours at the Wellcome collection (I only took photos with my phone there and now I regret it, so I’m not posting those as they’re not as good).

Hoot!

After seeing a few of these we started noticing that all the male statues had been mutilated. How silly is that?

Boobies! Just kidding! What drew my attention to these statues was the way the fabric was represented, made me want to see what they looked like when they were brand new and not missing bits. Incredible how the stone can look so light and pliable, just like fabric…

We also wandered around the Assyrian section and I enjoyed it immensely.

There was also this very wide hall, with statues from the Parthenon in Athens. Impressive sculptural pieces I must say!

Here we can see some smaller bronze pieces. I liked the detail and the way they stylized the hair on these gentlemen.

And what was I wearing, you ask? (Or maybe not, but lets pretend). I was wearing my lovely Welsh tapestry cape, that I picked up in Brooklyn a year ago. It is one of those items that make people stop to compliment and there was even this Welsh lady who told me she had never seen anything like it before! It was a success and a conversation starter. Everything else: Beret – it was my mum’s, from the 80’s, Cardigan – Vintage, picked up at a shop in Oxford, Dress – H&M, Tights – Ebay, Bag – TK Maxx, Shoes – Ted Baker (also via TK Maxx).

Well, I will have to go back to London some times soon to see the exhibition and hang out with more friends. Not like I need any excuses 🙂

This post was also shared at Style Crone, where Judith is having another Hat Attack party!

I was at the BM a long time ago and was so so impress –
I saw the Egyptian collection, amazing, it’s beyond words!
Your cape is wonderful – Izzy has something similar in blue, i don’t know where she got it

Well I would certainly stop and ask for a cheeky pic with you if I spotted you looking so incredible in your cape! I absolutely adore how you’re put together and oh god the shoes!!! I agree it’s amazing how the sculptors managed to make their raw materials look like soft, billowing fabric. Good luck with getting into the Japanese porn exhibit next time 😉 xoxox

You look gorgeous! No wonder people stopped to talk about your cape – they just wanted a chance to talk to you. The glitter bows on the shoes are perfect!

I love the British Museum – and the National Gallery, and Tate Britain, and I really really want to go to the Victoria & Albert next time I’m in London. When I lived in Britain, I was in London for one day for a meeting, and I also wanted to go to Sir John Soane’s house, and it was closed that day! I was so disappointed, and it’s still on my list of places I must see. Next time we’re in Britain I think I’ll have to cut short the visits with in-laws and spend a few days in London!

Red! Just the colour we need right now…grey and rainy skies here in Vancouver…your cape is fabulous, and I love the bold red tights with it! I could be completely wrong, {often am} but wasn’t there a king that demanded all male statues to be, um altered, for lack of a better word? I too, marvel at the illusion of fabric draping in stone. It’s pretty impressive.

Hello, nice to meet you!

Sara Doucette is a frequent blogger and an occasional illustrator. She spends 50% of time daydreaming of art projects and petting random cats on the street and the other 50% documenting it all on Instagram.